80 nations sign convention protecting rights of disabled

April 01, 2007

UNITED NATIONS — Eighty countries signed the United Nations convention enshrining the rights of the world's 650 million disabled Friday in what the UN human-rights chief called an unprecedented show of support to empower the physically and mentally impaired.

The United Nations held a ceremony on the first day the convention opened for signatures, and not only did 80 countries and a representative of the European Union sign it, but Jamaica announced that it also had ratified the convention. That means only 19 more ratifications are needed before the convention comes into force, and speaker after speaker urged speedy approval.

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Items compiled from Tribune news services

The convention is a blueprint to end discrimination and exclusion of the physically and mentally disabled in education, jobs and everyday life. The U.S. supports the convention.